Vietnam partners with visa services giant to boost tourism promotion

A memorandum of understanding with VFS Global aims to strengthen tourism promotion and explore marketing approaches suited to changing international market trends.

Vietnam's tourism industry has recovered strongly in recent years, recording steady growth and gradually strengthening its position as an attractive destination in the region and around the world, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.

Nguyen Trung Khanh, director general of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, said international markets are changing rapidly, while tourist behavior and consumption trends are becoming increasingly diverse and competition among destinations is intensifying.

Strengthening cooperation with international organizations and businesses with extensive networks, market knowledge, and the ability to connect with customers, businesses, and media organizations in key source markets is therefore a new and appropriate approach, he said.

This approach will not only help mobilize additional social resources for tourism promotion but also enable the sector to access international knowledge, data, experience, and modern promotional methods.

This, in turn, will help improve the quality of tourism promotion, identify target customer segments more accurately, and develop promotional campaigns that better match actual demand, Khanh said.

Simon Peachey, VFS Global's COO for China, Oceania, Russia, and the Commonwealth of Independent States, said Vietnam is blessed with beautiful landscapes, rich cultural heritage, world-renowned cuisine, dynamic cities, and warm, hospitable people.

Vietnam's goal of welcoming 45-50 million international visitors by 2030 is ambitious, he said.

With 24 years of experience in the tourism sector, a global network spanning 169 countries and territories, and services provided to 71 government partners, VFS Global provides visa application and related services to millions of travelers worldwide.

Through its international network, VFS Global can support the promotion of Vietnam's tourism in key source markets, including Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, Europe, and Australia.

VFS Global has proposed a five-stage global digital strategy for promoting Vietnam’s tourism: creating, amplifying, engaging, converting, and advocating.

The partnership is not only about promoting destinations but also about connecting people, cultures, and communities.

Vietnam welcomed more than 21 million international visitors and around 137 million domestic travelers in 2025, generating VND1 quadrillion (US$38 billion) in tourism revenue.

Foreign tourist arrivals totaled 13.9 million during the January-July period of 2026, up 13.8 percent year on year, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.

Russia remained Vietnam's largest European source market with 864,000 visitors, up 174 percent year on year.

The sector is targeting 25 million international visitors and 150 million domestic travelers in 2026.

The number of foreign visitors is expected to reach 45-50 million by 2030